1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a lever-fitting type connector in which female and male connectors can be easily fitted together by operating a lever.
2. Related Art
FIGS. 7 and 8 show a frame-connecting type connector 1 disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 6-251826. This connector 1 comprises a female connector portion 3, provided on a connection box body 2 of an electric connection box or the like, a male connector 5 for fitting into a hood portion 4 of the female connector portion 3, and a frame 6 for inserting and fitting the male connector 5 into the hood portion 4 of the female connector portion 3. The frame 6 includes a body 7 having the male connector 5 pivotally received therein, and a pivot leg portion 8 projecting from one end of the body 7, and an operating projection 9 projecting from the other end of the body. A sliding shaft 10 is formed at a distal end of the pivot leg portion 8. This sliding shaft 10 is received and retained in a slide groove 12 formed in a frame support portion 11 formed on an outer surface of the female connector portion 3.
As shown in FIG. 8, the sliding shaft 10 is retained in the slide groove 12, and the operating projection 9 is pressed to pivotally move the frame 6 about an axis of the sliding shaft 10 in a direction of arrow a, thereby inserting and fitting the male connector 5 into the female connector portion 3. For withdrawing the male connector 5 from the female connector portion 3, the operating projection 9 is pressed in a reverse direction to pivotally move the frame 6 in a direction opposite to the direction of arrow a, so that the male connector 5 can be withdrawn from the hood portion 4 of the female connector portion 3.
In this operation, the sliding shaft 10 serves as a fulcrum, and the operating projection 9 serves as a force-applying point, and a support portion, at which the male connector 5 is pivotally supported on the frame 6, serves as an operating point, and therefore the male connector 5 can be fitted into and withdrawn from the female connector portion 3 with a small force. Therefore, the operating force, required for fitting the male connector 5 into the female connector portion 3, can be reduced.
However, the above frame-connecting type connector 1 has a drawback that the frame 7, fitted on the male connector 5, are flexed or bent laterally during the operation, so that those portions of the frame 7, pivotally supporting the male connector 5, are liable to be disengaged from the male connector 5. Therefore, there may be proposed a construction in which the body 7 of the frame 6 is, together with the male connector 5, fitted in the hood portion 4 so that the flexing of the side walls of the body 7 can be prevented by inner surfaces of the hood portion 4. In such a construction, one end portion of the body 7 is retained, for example, on the hood portion 4 of the female connector portion 3, and the frame 6 is pivotally moved about this retained end portion serving as a fulcrum, and by doing so, the male connector 5 can be fitted into and withdrawn (or removed) from the hood portion 4 of the female connector portion 3. In this construction, however, when the frame 6 is to be fitted into the female connector portion 3 in such a manner that the one end portion of the frame 6, pivotally supported on the male connector 5, projects forwardly from the fitting side or surface of the male connector 5 in the fitting direction, there is a possibility that this projected end portion damages or deforms wiring terminals (e.g. tabs) provided in the female connector portion, and therefore some countermeasures against this are needed.